Amusement apparatus.



No. 857,338. v PATBNTED JUNE 18; 1907.

A. S. FITCH.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS. f APPLICATION FILED SEPT.'13, 1904. RENEWEDIO'VZBI, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS co.. wAsl-uuzrou, a. c.

APPLICATION i'ILED SEPT. 13, 1904. RENEWED NOV.21, 1906.

V PATENTED JUNE 18, 1907. s. IE'ITGH. AMU$BMENT APPARATUS.

'2 sums-sum 2.

d Z 7 3 a 6% |EE w m l "I 9 A in y W 3 3 01 0 WITNESSES:

1H5 NORRIS PETERS ca. wAsnmarqu, n. c.

ARDEN FITCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1907.

Application filed September 13, 1904. Renewed November 21, 1906. SerialNo. 344,499.

To aZZ whom it ncty concern.-

Be it known that I, ARDEN S. FIToH, of the borough of Manhattan, city ofNew York, county and State of New York, a citizen of the United States,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AmusementApparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for the amusement and recreation ofpeople at seaside resorts or rural parks and similar places; and myinvention consists, primarily, in a parachute-structure, means carriedthereby to receive and sustain a weight, means to elevate the parachuteand its weight-receptacle to a given height and means to guide the samein the descent thereof; whereby a person, or persons, sustained by thesaid weight-receptacle, may be raised to a desired height above theground and, when the parachute and its said receptacle are released fromthe action of the elevatingmeans, may therein descend by gravity to theplace on the ground from which the elevation was effected; and myinvention comprises a parachute-structure, means carried thereby toreceive and sustain a weight, means to elevate the parachute and itssaid receptacle to a given height, means to guide the same in thedescent thereof by gravity when released from the action of theelevating-means, and means to retard the movement of the parachute andits said receptacle during the latter portion of the descent thereof;whereby, while the parachute and its said receptacle may approach theground during the earlier and major portion of the descent at a speedwhich will cause excitement in the person or persons sustained in saidparachute-receptacle, contact thereof with the ground may be effectedwith safety and without discomfort to such person, or persons; and myinvention further comprises a para chutestructure and weight-receptaclecarried thereby, a fixed support of a determined height, means,operative on said support, to elevate the parachute and its saidreceptacle thereon and to release the same from the ac tion of saidelevating-means, and means carried by said support to guide theparachute and its receptacle in the descent thereof; and my inventionalso includes a series of similar parachute-structures and theirrespective severally attached weight-receptacles, a fixed support of adetermined height common to the several parachutes of the seriesthereof, means, operative on said support, to elevate said severalparachutes and their said receptacles, and means carried by said supportto severally guide the respective parachutes and their receptacles intheir descent; and my invention further comprises the devices and theircombinations hereinafter described and more particularly recited in theclaims, whereby the operation of effecting the successive elevation anddescent of the parachutes and their said attached receptacles may becarried on with celerity, economy and safety.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of an apparatus containing myinvention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view, in detail, of the outward endof one of the support-arms illus trated in Fig. 1 and showing adesirable manner of operatively mounting thereon the parachuteelevating-cables and of attaching to said arm the guide-rope for saidparachute; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a desirable formof parachute-structure and the weight-sustaining receptacle thereof andshowing in detail some further features of the invention; Fig.4: is asectional plan taken through the upward part of the desirable form ofcommon support shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view ofthe devices shown in Fig. 4 on the line :r, :10, thereof; and Fig. 6 isan enlarged, vertical,

central section of the counter-weight and attached clutch-devicesdesirably employed in connection with the elevating-cable of aparachute.

A is a parachute-structure preferably composed of a frame consisting ofribs, a, usually curved, attached to and severally extending radiallyand downwardly from a central or axial support, B, and braces, aseverally extending radially and upwardly from said support, B, to aboutmidway of said respective ribs, together with a bag or cover, a mounteddistendedly upon the radial ribs, a,'while a band, 0, usually circular,is desirably attached in common to and unites the outward or downwardends of the ribs, a. The frame, a, a, a of the parachute is desirably ofmetal with rigid connections between the ribs and braces and betweenthem and the central support and circumferential band, so that theparachute will be fixedly and permanently open or extended; and it isalso desirable that the bag or cover, a be constituted of a textilematerial, as sail-cloth, and that the same be spreader mounted on theunder or inward side of the parachute-frame, as indicated in Fig. 3, forthat said bag or cover thus has the support of the entire length of eachframe-rib, a, during a descending movement of the parachute and hence isnot liable to be forced or torn from the frame by the air-pressure uponit during such movement. Means to receive and sustain a body or weightis carried by said parachute, desirably in the form of a receptacle 0,composed of a platform, 0, supported by rods, connected, preferablyrigidly, to the central support, B, of the parachute-frame, as by ahorizontal support 0 which may be annular, to which the upward ends ofthe platform-rods,

' c are united and arms 0 radiall extended downwardly from said centralsupport, B, to said horizontal support, 0 while cords or ropes, 0 mayseverally extend from the band, (L to said horizontal support, asindicated in Fig. 3. The platform, 0, is intended to be adapted tosustain one or two persons in an erect attitude, and is desirablyprovided with an inclosing guard-railing, 0 preferably of lightnet-work, and provided with gates, 0 to permit the ingress and egress toand from the platform of the person or persons to be sustained thereby.Hand-loops, or holdingstraps, 0, may be attached to the rods, 0 to beconveniently grasped by the occupants of the platform.

Means to elevate the parachute, A, and its attached receptacle, C, to agiven height is provided, and desirably comprises a hoistingcable, D,attachable to the parachute and operatively mounted on a fixed support,E, e, as by pulleys, e 6 and controlled by a drum, e actuated by amotor, indicated at, e and it is desirable that the said cable beattachable to the parachute by a clutch-device, carried by said cable,comprising levers, as F, F respectively provided with jaws f,

f, to engage an annular flange, l), on the upward end of the centralsupport, B, of the parachute, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6.

Means to guide the parachute, A, and its receptacle, C, in a descentthereof, when released from the action of the elevatingmeans, mayconsist in a wire-rope, G, passing longitudinally through the centralsupport, B, of the parachute, which for this purpose may be in' the formof a tube, or sleeve, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, with the upward end ofsaid rope, G, secured to the support, e, as illustrated at 9, Fig. 2,and with its opposite or lower end fixed onthe ground, as by ascrew-link, g therein anchored, as illustrated at the bottom of Fig. 3,whereby said rope may be kept taut and the parachute and its receptacle,C, may be caused to return, in a descent thereof, to the same locationon the ground from which it rose when elevated. As it is desirable, inthe operation of this apparatus, to detach and wholly release theparachute from the elevating-cable at the conclusion of an ascent, thuspermitting a descent to be made entirely by gravity; and as it is alsodesirable, in order that the apparatus may be operated with economy andcelerity to effect successive ascents and descents of the parachute andits said recepta cle a stop, g may be provided, in the form of a collar,keyed to or otherwise fixedly mounted on the upward part of theguiderope, G, to be engaged by crank-arms,f f respectively provided onthe clutch-levers, F, F when the cable, D, has elevated the parachute tothe desired limit of an ascent, and thus swing said levers to withdrawtheir jaws f, f, from engagement with the flange, b, on theparachute-support, B; and the cable, D, may be provided with acounterweight, D to effect a following-descent of said cable to theparachute, after release, and which is centrally apertured, as at, d, topermit the passage through it of the said rope G, as well as to guidethe movements of said weight, and is also slotted or recessed as at alto receive said levers, F, F which are desirably provided withrespective controllingsprings, f'flwhile the said lever-jaws may havethe exterior curved or beveled faces, f and the flange, b, may be giventhe downward and outward bevel 12 on its upward face, as shown in Figs.3 and 6. By means of the described devices the parachute may beautomatically attached to and detached and released from thehoistingcable, D, at the conclusion respectively of successive descentsand ascents thereof. It is furthermore desirable that the parachute andits receptacle be enabled to move at a greater speed during the earlierportion than during the latter portion of its descent, and that thecontact thereof with the ground at the conclusion of a descent be madewithout a blow or jar; and to this end the tubular support or sleeve, B,of the parachute-frame may extend downwardly through the receptacle, C,and its platform, 0, as shown in Fig. 3; and, also, the upward end ofsaid sleeve may be constricted to give an aperture, 5 of but slightlygreater area than is required for the play of the rope, G, therein,while a pistonpiece, If, may be rigidly fixed on said rope, at adetermined location thereon near its lower or ground end, to enter thelower, open end of said sleeve, B, as by a flaringbell-mouth, 5 shown inFig. 3; whereby the resistance or cushion of the air in the sleeve, B,as it gradually escapes therefrom by the aperture, 19 by the action ofthe piston, 6 will retard the movement of the parachute during thelatter portion of its descent on the guide-rope, G, and will effect thecontact thereof with the ground, or the landing of the parachute and itsreceptacle, gently and without shock or jar. A springamass platform, Dmay be provided on the ground at the landing-place, and within the areaof which the guiderope, G, is anchored, if ole sired, as indicated inFig. 3, to receive the impact of the platform, 0, as it lands, and thusfurther minimize the liability to any concusslon.

In carrying out this invention it is intended to provide a series of theparachutes, A, and their receptacles, C, each preferably havingindividual and independent means, substantially as set forth, to effectsuccessive elevations and descents thereof upon and from a fixed commonsupport, Which may comprise a central tower, E, of a determined height,and radial arms, 6, mounted thereon, from which, respectively, theseveral parachutes of the series thereof are operated, as indicated inFig. 1.

Any other known or equivalent means than those herein particularlydescribed, to elevate the parachutes, or to guide them in their ascentand descent, or to effect theirautomatic attachment to and release fromsaid elevating-means and to retard their rate of movement during thelatter portion of a descent thereof, may be employed, Without departurefrom the essential features of the invention as herein set forth.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:I

1. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a parachute-structureand means carried thereby to receive and sustain a weight, with means toelevate the parachute and its weight-sustaining means to a given height,and means to guide the same during a descent thereof.

2. In an amusement apparatus, the Com-.

bination of a permanently and fixedly open or distendedparachute-structure and means carried thereby to receive and sustain aweight, with means to elevate the parachute and its Weight-sustainingmeans to a given height, and means to guide the same during a descentthereof.

3. In an amusement apparatus the combination of an elevatableparachute-struc ture provided With means to receive and sustain a Weightand'releasable to the action of gravity When elevated, with means toguide said parachute and .its weight-sustaining means during a descentthereof, and means to retard the movement of the same during thelatterpart of said descent.

4. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a parachute-structureand means carried thereby to receive and sustain a Weight, with a fixedsupport of a determined height, means, operative on said support, toelevate the parachute and its weight-sustaining means, and means,carried by said support to guide the parachute and its Weightsustainingmeans in a descent thereof.

5. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a permanently andfixedly distended parachute-structure and means for receiving andsustaining a weight, with a centrally located support, common to saidparachute and its weight-sustaining means and upon which the same arerespectively rigidly mounted.

6. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a permanently andfixedly distended parachute-structure having a central support on whichit is rigidly mounted, with means to receive and sustain a weight,comprising a platform, rods to support the same, a support, below saidparachute, to which said rods are connected, and arms to rigidly unitesaid rod-support to said central support of said parachute.

7. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a parachute-structureand means carried thereby to receive and sustain a weight, a fixedsupport of a determined height, a hoisting-cable, operatively mounted onsaid support and provided with means to engage said parachute to elevatethe same and its weight-sustaining means on said support, and to releasethem from it at the conclusion of an ascent thereof, and means carriedby said support, common to and to guide said parachute andhoisting-cable in the operative movements thereof.

8. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a parachute-structurecomprising a centrally supporting longitudinally ex tended sleeve andmeans carried by said parachute to receive and sustain a weight, withmeans to elevate said parachute and its Weight-sustaining means to agiven height,

and a fixedly mounted guide-rope to play in said parachute-sleeve toguide said parachute and its weight-sustaining means in the operativemovements thereof.

9. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a parachute-structurecomprising a centrally supporting longitudinally extended sleeve andmeans earned by said parachute to receive and sustain a Wei ht, a

fixed su port of a determined height, a oisting-cab e operativelymounted on said support, an ap'ertured counter-weight and means, carriedby said cable, to detachably engage said parachute to elevate the sameand its weight-sustaining means, a fixedly mounted guide-rope, carriedby said support, to play in said parachute-sleeve and counter-weight toguide the same in their operative movements, and means to disengage saidcableengaging means from said parachute at the conclusion of an ascentthereof.

10. In an amusement apparatus, the com bination of a parachute-structurecomprising a central support and means carried by said support forreceiving and sustaining a Weight, there being a flange on the upper endof said central support, a hoisting-cable operatively mounted to elevatesaid parachute and its ITO- Weight-sustaining means, a counter-weight,on said cable, a clutch-device carried by said counter-weight todetachably engage the flange on said parachute central support, andmeans to disengage said clutch-device from said flange at the conclusionof an ascent of said parachute.

1]. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a parachute-structurecom )rising a central support and means carried t ereby to receive andsustain a weight, with a hoisting-cable operatively mounted to elevatesaid parachute and its weight-sustaining means, a counter-weight carriedby said cable, a clutch-device carried by said counter-weight todetachably engage said central support of the parachute, and a fixedlymounted guide-rope common toand to guide said parachute and said cablecounter-weight in the operative movements thereof, together with a stopcarried by said guide-rope to release said clutch-device from saidparachutesup port at the conclusion of an ascent by said parachute.

12. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a parachute-structurecomprising a central supporting-sleeve with a constricted opening at itsupward end, and means carried by said parachute to receive and sustain aweigh t, with a fixedly mounted guide-rope to playin said sleeve andguide said parachute in its operative movements, and a pistonpiecerigidly mounted on said guide-rope to enter and work in said sleeve, atthe lower end thereof, to compress the air therein.

1.3. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a parachute-structurecomprising a central supporting-sleeve and means carried thereby toreceive and sustain a weight, with a fixed support of a determinedheight, and a guide-rope to play in said parachute causessupporting-sleeve to guide said parachute in its operative movements,said rope being securedv at one end to said fixed support and at theopposite or lower end anchored to the ground.

14. In an amusement apparatus the combination of a parachute-structureand means to receive and sustain a Weight, with a fixed support of adetermined height, carrying o erative means 'to elevate said parachute tereon, and a guide-rope to guide said parachute in its operativemovements, rigidly connected at one end to said fixed support and at theopposite or lower end to a screwlink anchored in the ground.

15. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a parachutastructureand. means to receive and sustain a weight, with a fixedly mountedguide-rope to guide said parachute in its operative movements and aspring-platform located on the ground about the anchorage ofsaidguide-rope therein.

16. An amusement apparatus comprising a series of parachute-structureseach carrying means to receive and sustain a Weight, a fixed support ofa determined height common to all the parachutes of the serles thereof,means, operatively mounted on said support, to severally elevate theparachutes thereon, means, carried by said support, to individuallyguide each parachute of the series thereof during its descent whenreleased from the action ofsaid elevating means, and means severallyoperative to individually retard the movement of each said parachuteduring the latter part of its said descent.

ARDEN S. FITCH.

Witnesses:

O. WJBENJAMIN, A. G. WINTER.

